Capsule for preparing a beverage by injection

ABSTRACT

A capsule for preparing a beverage by injection, within the capsule, of a fluid under pressure, comprising: a cup-shaped body, which in turn comprises a side wall which is substantially frustum-shaped and delimits an opening and a blind bottom, and a membrane for closing the opening of the cup-shaped body in order to delimit a containment chamber configured to contain a food substance for preparing the beverage; an internal filter being proximate to the blind bottom, the internal filter comprising a bottom wall which comprises a substantially circular central region, the central region being arranged in contact with the blind bottom of the capsule and being surrounded by a circumferential distribution groove which is open toward the blind bottom.

The present invention relates to a capsule for preparing beverages.

Capsules for preparing beverages by injection, within the capsule itself, of a pressurized fluid, for example to prepare coffee in espresso machines or the like, are currently known in the background art.

Usually these capsules comprise a cup-shaped body which in turn comprises a side wall that is substantially frustum-shaped and delimits an inlet and a blind bottom.

These known capsules have a chamber for containing a food substance for preparing the beverage, said chamber being delimited by the cup-shaped body and by a membrane for the closure thereof, which is applied at the opening, in order to close it.

In the background art there are many types of capsules which are compatible with existing and commercially available machines, each having its own particular characteristics.

One shared drawback of existing capsules is related to the wall thickness of the cup-shaped body: it cannot in fact have an excessively low thickness, since it must withstand the stresses of the pressurized water that is injected into the internal chamber of the capsule. The provision of a relatively high wall thickness, however, entails some scarcely desirable consequences: first of all, the cost (linked to the material) of the capsule is relatively high; secondly (since the outside diameter is often constrained by compatibility requirements), an increase in the thickness of the body wall entails a reduction of the dimensions of the chamber; thirdly, it is not possible to choose freely the preferred production methods, since some of them would entail a wall thickness reduction; in the specific case of this last drawback, it should be considered that commercially available plastic capsules are usually manufactured by injection molding.

Another drawback that is observed in known machines relates to the distribution of the water inside the chamber: in some machines, in fact, the bottom of the capsules is pierced by injection needles of the machine, which inject the water under pressure into the capsule in a direction which goes from the blind bottom of the capsule to the upper sealing membrane, which tears in order to allow the outflow of the beverage (interfering with abutment parts of the machine); the Applicant has observed that this drawback of known capsules entails the forming of preferential channels which do not allow to wet evenly the content of the capsule, with a consequent worsening of the quality of the beverage.

Another drawback is related to known capsules which are internally provided with a filtering element: such element is in fact usually provided proximate to the blind bottom of the capsule, at which blind bottom the pressurized water injection needles penetrate.

In these capsules there is the risk that the injection needle, by passing through or piercing the blind bottom, may make contact with the filter, with the consequence of piercing the filter or displacing it from its seat; this may cause a contamination of the injection needles with the beverage preparation substance contained in the capsule, with the consequence that the subsequent preparation of a beverage different from the already-prepared beverage may be contaminated.

In these capsules, moreover, there is the problem of the uneven wetting of the content of the capsule due to the forming of preferential channels in the beverage.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a capsule for preparing a beverage that solves the technical problem described above, obviates the drawbacks and overcomes the limitations of the background art, allowing to have available a capsule that is thinner yet capable of withstanding the stresses of the pressurized water.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a capsule that can be manufactured with methods other than the injection molding of the plastic body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a capsule that has optimum water distribution.

Another object of the invention is to provide a capsule that exhibits fewer contamination problems during successive preparations of different beverages.

A further object of the invention is to provide a capsule that is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a capsule that is easy to provide and economically competitive if compared with the background art.

This aim, as well as these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a capsule according to claim 1, optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a capsule, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a capsule according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the capsule of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the capsule of FIG. 1, inserted in a seat in the condition for use;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views of enlarged-scale details of the capsule of the preceding figures;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views, respectively from above and from below, of the filter of the capsule of the preceding figures;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the filter of the preceding figure;

FIG. 9 is a lateral elevation view of the filter of the preceding figure;

FIG. 10 is a sectional perspective view of the filter of the preceding figure;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are sectional views of the capsule in two successive steps of use, respectively before and after the insertion of an injection needle;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of FIG. 12.

With reference to the figures, the capsule for preparing a beverage by injecting, inside the capsule, a fluid under pressure, designated generally by the reference numeral 1, comprises a cup-shaped body 2.

In turn, the cup-shaped body 2 comprises a side wall 3 which is substantially frustum-shaped and delimits an opening 6 and a blind bottom 4, which are arranged at end faces of the frustum formed by the side wall 3; preferably, the opening 6 is located at the larger end face, while the blind bottom 4 is arranged at the smaller end face.

The opening 6 is closed by a closure membrane (not shown), in order to delimit an internal containment chamber 7 which is configured to contain a food substance for preparing the beverage, for example coffee in powder, instant coffee, chocolate, tea, chamomile, preparations for herbal teas, and the like.

It is useful to specify that in the present description and in the accompanying claims, the term blind bottom 4 designates the planar wall that lies on a plane that is parallel to the closure membrane and which closes the cup-shaped body on one side (downward in the figures).

Preferably, the body 2 is made of plastic material, more preferably made of compostable plastic material with a function of impermeableness to gases and/or made of PP-EVOH-PP material, so as to preserve the integrity of the food substance contained in the capsule, for example avoiding its oxidation.

Preferably, the body 2 is provided by thermoforming.

This allows to provide thin wall thicknesses, for example comprised between 200 and 400 microns, which however, by virtue of the particularities that will be described hereinafter, have such mechanical characteristics as to give the body 2 a rigidity that is sufficient to withstand the injection of a fluid (for example hot water) under pressure without the occurrence of deformations of such an extent as to compromise the functionality of the capsule 1.

Advantageously, the side wall 3 of the cup-shaped body 2 is substantially smooth, i.e., it does not have external protrusions or ridges.

In some embodiments, the cup-shaped body 2 comprises an annular flange 11 which protrudes radially from the body at its opening 6.

In these embodiments, the closure membrane 5 of the opening 6 is coupled to the annular flange 11, for example heat-sealed or bonded by adhesive.

The membrane 5 is preferably made of compostable barrier material or for example aluminum+lacquer or barrier polypropylene.

Optionally, the cup-shaped body 2 furthermore has an internal circumferential reinforcement ridge 12 which is proximate to the annual flange 11 and is constituted in practice by one end of the cup-shaped body 2 that is thicker than the rest of the cup-shaped body 2.

As is evident in the detail of FIG. 5, the internal circumferential reinforcement ridge 12 identifies in the cup-shaped body 2 a first frustum-shaped portion 13, which is proximate to the opening 6 and has a diameter that increases toward the opening 6 and a second frustum-shaped portion 14, which is proximate and adjacent to the first frustum-shaped portion 13, with a diameter that increases toward the blind bottom 4, so that the first and second frustum-shaped portions 13, 14 together provide a converging-diverging duct portion.

It should be noted in particular that the cup-shaped body 2 substantially has a first wall thickness that is the same for the entire body 2 except for the circumferential ridge 12, where the thickness increases as described above and for the annular flange 11, which have a respective wall thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

In the preferred embodiments, the annular flange 11 has, on a lower face thereof (i.e., directed toward the plane on which the blind bottom 4 lies), a distal annular groove 71 which is open towards the plane on which the blind bottom 4 lies and which in practice surrounds the side wall 3 at the height of the opening 6; said distal annular groove 71 preferably has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

Preferably, the annular flange 11 comprises, on the same lower face, between the distal annular groove 71 and the side wall 3 proximate to the opening 6, also a proximal annular groove 72, which also is open toward the plane on which the blind bottom 4 lies and which in practice also surrounds the opening 6. Such proximal annular groove 72 has a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section and is adapted to accommodate, during use, one end of a cylindrical wall B1 of an apparatus for preparing beverages which is used to keep in position the capsule 1.

In some embodiments (not shown), there is only the proximal annular groove 72 and not the distal annular groove 71, which has the same characteristics as the proximal annular groove 72 that has just been described.

Preferably, between the side wall 3 and the blind bottom 4, the body 2 has an annular narrower region 15, at which there are one or more undercuts 16 which protrude radially toward the inside of the capsule 1.

The undercuts 16 are extended discontinuously, since they are provided at predefined angular positions of the annular narrower portion 15, being preferably positioned so that they are distributed uniformly on said annular narrower portion 15.

More preferably, the undercuts 16 are arranged so as to be alternated at angular positions so as to be mutually equidistant.

This helps to further improve the strength of the capsule 1 according to the invention.

According to the invention, the capsule 1 also comprises an internal filter 17 which is proximate to the blind bottom 4.

In the embodiments in which the undercuts 16 are present, the internal filter 17 is in practice interlocked below the undercuts 16, which thus also act as stop elements for the filter 17, mechanically blocking the spacing of the filter from the blind bottom 4.

The internal filter 17 is preferably arranged between the blind bottom 4 and the undercuts 16, inserted by pressing in position by virtue of the elastic deformation of the undercuts 16 during the insertion step.

Advantageously, the internal filter contributes to provide structural solidity to the capsule 1 and at the same time, as will become better apparent hereinafter, is configured so as to allow to perforate the blind bottom 4 without being damaged and contrasting any deformations of the capsule during perforation.

In greater detail, the internal filter 17 comprises a bottom wall 18 arranged in contact with the blind bottom 4 of the capsule, and in said bottom wall 18 there is a circumferential distribution groove 19 that is open toward the blind bottom 4. The distribution groove 19, in other words, is a concavity that is extended along a circumference and is directed toward the blind bottom 4.

The overall shape of the bottom wall 18 of the filter 17 provides for a central region 18A, which is substantially circular and is surrounded by the distribution groove 19, which is arranged concentrically thereto. The central region 18A, which in turn comprises a substantially annular contact wall, which (in the assembled condition of the capsule) is in contact with the blind bottom 4; the contact wall therefore surrounds a central circular concavity 181 and a central separation space is formed between the latter and the blind bottom 4.

According to the invention, as is evident from FIG. 4, the internal filter 17 substantially rests on the blind bottom 4 (preferably only with the central region 18A), so as to form between it, the blind bottom 4 and the side wall 3 a lower chamber 91 that has a base with an annular plan shape. In other words, the lower chamber 91 is delimited by the internal filter 17 (and more precisely by its bottom wall 18), by the blind bottom 4 and by the side wall 3.

The lower chamber 91 is adapted to be crossed by one or more injection elements A1 (typically injection needles A1), allowing them to perforate the blind bottom (as shown in particular in FIG. 13).

Advantageously, the lower chamber 91 can be crossed by the pressurized liquid injected by the injection elements A1, facilitating its uniform distribution.

In particular, in the condition for use, the lower chamber 91 is crossed by the injection elements A1 at the distribution groove 19.

In greater detail, in the preferred embodiments, including the one shown, a frustum-shaped portion 18B with a cylindrical shoulder 18C is arranged concentrically around the distribution groove 19. The frustum-shaped portion 18B is formed by a wall which is inclined with respect to the contact wall of the central region 18A, which protrudes radially outward. In the preferred embodiments, the inclined wall that forms the frustum-shaped portion 18B is inclined with respect to the contact wall (which is parallel to the blind bottom 4 since it is constituted by the lower face of the central region 18A) by an angle comprised between 35° and 45°. In these embodiments, the cylindrical shoulder 18C is substantially perpendicular with respect to the contact wall and to the blind bottom 4.

In the assembled capsule condition, as shown in particular in FIG. 4, the frustum-shaped portion 18B rests only partially on an internal abutment surface 3 a of the side wall 3; in this manner at least part of the frustum-shaped portion 18B is spaced from the underlying blind bottom 4 and therefore the lower chamber 91 extends not only below the distribution groove 19 but also below part of the frustum-shaped portion 18B and, ultimately, the blind bottom 4 is in contact only with the contact wall of the central region 18A.

In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, a connecting portion 18D is comprised between the distribution groove 19 and the frustum-shaped portion 18C and comprises a connecting wall which is directed toward the blind bottom 4 and is parallel to the contact wall of the central region 18A and is arranged at a different level from the latter so as to be spaced from the blind bottom 4; the connecting wall of the connecting portion 18D has an annular shape.

In particular, the function of the distribution groove 19 is clearly noticeable in FIGS. 4, 12 and 13: at an annular region, it spaces the filter 17 from the blind bottom 4, so that when the injection elements (needles) A1 of the machine (arranged along a circumference that is contained in the annular region defined by the projection of the distribution groove 19 on the blind bottom 4) perforate the blind bottom wall 4 to inject the pressurized water into the capsule 1, they face the distribution groove 19, avoiding making contact with the filter 4, thus avoiding the risk of displacing it in the capsule 1; furthermore, advantageously the injection elements (needles) A1 of the machine do not risk making contact with the substance or food preparation contained in the containment chamber 7, avoiding the contamination of said needles.

According to a preferred characteristic, the internal filter 17 comprises at least one, preferably a plurality of (three in the example shown) distribution holes 20 (which are preferably circular) which connect the distribution groove 19 to the containment chamber 7, in order to introduce the pressurized fluid in the containment chamber 7, and are thus provided at the distribution groove 19.

The distribution holes therefore provide a fluid connection between the lower chamber 91 and the containment chamber 7.

In the preferred embodiments, these distribution holes 20 are preferably arranged along a circumference that is concentric with respect to the filter 17, which is also circular in plan view, and are angularly equidistant.

Preferably, the filter 17 also comprises a plurality of feeding openings 21 configured to introduce the pressurized fluid in the containment chamber 7; for this purpose, the feeding openings 21 connect the containment chamber to the distribution groove 19 and are provided thereat.

The feeding openings 21, therefore, provide a fluid connection of the lower chamber 91 with the containment chamber 7.

Even more preferably, each feeding opening 21 is arranged between two distribution holes 20, so that the feeding openings 21 and the distribution holes 20 are arranged so as to be alternated along the same circumference, as in the illustrated example, in which there are three feeding openings 21 which are alternated with three distribution holes 20.

Preferably, the feeding openings 21 have an elongated shape along the circumference and even more preferably, as in the illustrated embodiment, have the shape of an annular portion (a part of an annulus delimited by two radii). In other embodiments, the feeding openings 21 have a rectangular shape.

Advantageously, the feeding openings 21 and the distribution holes 20 are substantially coplanar, being provided on a same surface that has the shape of an annulus, and have an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the blind bottom 4 and to the closure membrane of the opening 6.

By virtue of the refinements described above, the creation of preferential paths for the water in the containment chamber 7 is avoided, making its diffusion more uniform and allowing the water to wet the food substance in the containment chamber 7 in an overall uniform manner.

FIG. 6 shows the upper wall (which is opposite the bottom wall 18) of the internal filter 17. The upper wall comprises: at the center, a central hollow at the central region 18A; around the central hollow and at the distribution groove 19, a raised sector which is extended along an annulus which is concentric to the central hollow, the raised sector being arranged at a first height, along the raised sector there being the distribution holes 20 and (when present) the distribution openings; around the raised sector, concentrically thereto and at the frustum-shaped portion 18C and at the connecting portion 18D, a circumferential hollow, which in turn is surrounded by the cylindrical shoulder 18C (the frustum-shaped portion 18C and the connecting portion 18D in practice constitute respectively the bottom and a side wall of said circumferential hollow). It should be noted that in the illustrated embodiment the bottom of the circumferential hollow is at a higher level than the bottom of the central hollow and that the cylindrical shoulder extends to a height that is greater than the first height of the raised sector.

It is specified that in the present description the term height is used to intend the distance from the plane on which the blind bottom 4 of the capsule 1 lies.

The internal filter 17 also is made of plastic material, more preferably compostable plastic material with a function of impermeableness to gases and/or made of PP-EVOH-PP material.

The filter is provided preferably by thermoforming.

The operation of the capsule 1 is clear and evident from what has been described.

The capsule can be substantially used with water in input at the portion having the largest diameter or at the portion having the smallest diameter (bottom of the capsule).

In practice it has been found that the capsule according to the present invention achieves the intended aim and objects, since it allows to provide a capsule for preparing a beverage that is thinner but capable of withstanding the stresses of the pressurized water.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention resides in that it can be manufactured with methods different from injection molding of the plastic body, for example preferably by thermoforming. Obviously, any manufacturing technique suitable for the purpose may be used.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention resides in that it has an optimum water distribution.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention resides in that it has fewer contamination problems during successive preparations of different beverages.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention resides in that it is relatively easy to provide and economically competitive if compared with the background art.

The pod thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the accompanying claims.

All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102019000017822 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. 

1.-13. (canceled)
 14. A capsule for preparing a beverage by injection, within said capsule, of a fluid under pressure, comprising: a cup-shaped body which in turn comprises a side wall which is substantially frustum-shaped and delimits an opening and a blind bottom, a membrane for closing the opening of the cup-shaped body in order to delimit a containment chamber configured to contain a food substance for preparing the beverage, and further comprising an internal filter which is proximate to the blind bottom, said internal filter comprising a bottom wall which comprises a substantially circular central region, said central region being arranged in contact with the blind bottom of the capsule and being surrounded by a circumferential distribution groove which is open toward said blind bottom; said internal filter resting on the blind bottom and forming, between said internal filter, the blind bottom and the side wall, a lower chamber which has an annular base, said lower chamber being adapted to be crossed by one or more injection elements so as to allow said injection elements to perforate the blind bottom.
 15. The capsule according to claim 14, wherein said internal filter comprises a frustum-shaped portion with a cylindrical shoulder arranged concentrically around the distribution groove.
 16. The capsule according to claim 15, wherein said frustum-shaped portion rests partially on an internal abutment surface of the side wall, so that said frustum-shaped portion is spaced from the underlying blind bottom.
 17. The capsule according to claim 14, wherein the internal filter comprises one or more distribution holes which connect said circumferential distribution groove to said containment chamber.
 18. The capsule according to claim 17, wherein said internal filter comprises a plurality of said distribution holes and a plurality of feeding openings which are configured to introduce the fluid under pressure in the containment chamber, each one of said feeding openings being arranged between two distribution holes.
 19. The capsule according to claim 18, wherein said feeding openings are shaped like an annular portion.
 20. The capsule according to claim 18, wherein said feeding openings and said distribution holes are arranged so as to be alternated along a same circumference.
 21. The capsule according to claim 20, wherein the cup-shaped body comprises an annular flange which protrudes radially from the cup-shaped body at the opening thereof, said membrane for closing the opening being coupled to the annular flange, and wherein the cup-shaped body is provided with a circumferential reinforcement ridge which is proximate to the annular flange, said internal circumferential reinforcement ridge identifying in the body a first frustum-shaped portion, which is proximate to the opening and has a diameter that increases toward said opening, and a second frustum-shaped portion, which is proximate to the first frustum-shaped portion and has a diameter that increases toward said blind bottom, so that said first and second frustum-shaped portions identify a converging-diverging portion.
 22. The capsule according to claim 21, wherein said annular flange comprises, on a lower face thereof, a distal annular groove which is open toward a plane on which the blind bottom rests.
 23. The capsule according to claim 21, wherein said annular flange comprises, on a lower face thereof, a proximal annular groove toward a plane on which the blind bottom lies, having a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section and being adapted to accommodate, during use, one end of a cylindrical wall of an apparatus for preparing beverages.
 24. The capsule according to claim 21, wherein said cup-shaped body substantially has a first wall thickness that is identical for the entire body except for said internal circumferential reinforcement ridge and said annular flange which have a corresponding wall thickness that is greater than the first wall thickness.
 25. The capsule according to claim 14, wherein between the side wall and the blind bottom said body has an annular narrower region, at said annular narrower region there being one or more undercuts which protrude radially inside the capsule; said internal filter being interlocked below said undercuts, which mechanically block the movement of the internal filter away from the blind bottom.
 26. The capsule according to claim 25, wherein said undercuts extend discontinuously, being provided at predefined angular positions of the annular narrower region, so that they are distributed uniformly along said annular narrower region. 